It Takes a Village to Raise a Nation

After years and years
of building my business I know it’s a heck of a lot more fun (and a lot
less work) to raise a vision when you have a village of people
supporting you! I’ve always had a team. To me that’s a no-brainer. But
sometimes I lose sight of the other important “villagers” I need to help
me stay connected to my vision.

Here are some of the “villagers” that I turn to for support:

1. A Mentor Coach: Having someone in your corner who will help you see all the possibilities is essential to achieving your vision this year.

2. A “Get Things Done” Team: If you look at how any
high performing village operates, no one tries to achieve their dream
alone. Even the villagers on Botaira in Fiji all had a role in taking
care of the retreat center. Its time to hire some help!

3. A Mastermind: Isolation runs rampant in
entrepreneurs who work from home so being part of a thriving mastermind
can help re-energize your vision, provide encouragement and challenge
your assumptions of what’s possible. The more you participate in our
monthly calls the more engaged you will feel!

4. Strategic Partners: Having a strong group of
partners who support your vision and will host calls or promote your
programs to their own community can make this journey much easier.
Remember, it goes both ways! Be a giver first and watch your “giving
back” energy soar.

5. Your Clients: The village wouldn’t be complete
without feeling connected to the people you serve. Make sure your
clients are in alignment with your vision — their needs, their values
and their ability to pay what you are worth.

Case in point: Recently I joined a new mastermind. There was a pretty
arduous interview process that took place to become a member — which
told me this group was dead serious about the commitment to participate.
It was a lot of work to get in, get it started and figure out all the
important elements of being successful in the group.

The pay off came quickly. Within one conversation with one of the key
members I had re-ignited a vision inside of me that had laid dormant
for years. I had shockingly been playing small in my mind even though I thought I was doing the right thing! A blind spot in my business was illuminated that changed everything!

I realized something extraordinarily important immediately:

Its really easy to play small when you live inside the possibilities you create for yourself!
As entrepreneurs we often work alone, chained to our desk, seeing
only the emails and Facebook posts that cross our desk for weeks at a
time. Conversations are geared towards client deliverables and tasks
that have to be done in record time. We become myopic and lose sight of
our dream, our calling and what matters most.

No wonder we start thinking small!

Your vision can be ignited by people and situations when you infuse different thinking, especially when you explore ideas from people who are not in your industry or trade.

Its time to raise your vision and thrive this year in ways you never
even knew were possible. Take stock in your village — do you have the
right people in it?

If not, what corrective action can you take to resolve it? Join a
mastermind? Hire a coach? Evaluate the types of clients you are
accepting? Spend more time with people who “get it?”

Discover how you can liberate yourself from the
daily grind and re-ignite your passion and results. Melanie Benson Strick, The
Big Idea Catalyst for entrepreneurs, has made available a free email coaching
course, 18 Tips to Re-Energize your Business in 7 Days or Less at http://tinyurl.com/45j3ars